Homeless doesn't necessarily mean living on the street

Until you are made homeless, like me, you probably think of homelessness as people living on the streets. Sleeping in doorways is not the only way to experience homelessness. Just the same as not every homeless person is homeless because of alcohol, drugs or debt.

You can be made homeless no matter what social class you are or how old you are.

In my 6 months of being homeless, I've learned a lot. Some people are made homeless because of family separations, or even such fundamental changes as the government changing benefits or who they decide to they will help.

My experience of homelessness is unique to me, so I can only talk about my own experience.I won't go into how I became homeless as one day my kids may read this and it's a matter that's personal to us. However, I can still tell you my experiences.

I was made homeless on 1st December 2016. I only knew less than a month prior to having to leave my lovely family home. I wasn't in debt. I'm just a normal person who ended up in an extraordinary set of circumstances.

However, I'm still fortunate. I have mental health problems so when I was made homeless, my local council was obliged to put me into suitable temporary accommodation.

I moved, shellshocked, into a hotel where I stayed for over a month, over Christmas. Then I moved to a B&B in the neighbouring big town, from where I'm writing this. 

Again, I've been lucky, I'm staying somewhere where the owner has become a friend and even keeps an eye on me and gives me advice when things get stressful. My kids can stay overnight with me, despite the council saying they shouldn't as they officially live with their Dad.

Being homeless is a strange way to live. I have no where to cook (God I miss cooking!). This means feeding myself is expensive. I can only buy food I can eat cold, eat out or make food I can cook from water from the kettle. This means my diet is expensive and far from healthy. This has invariably led to weight gain. A poor diet and weight gain is not great when coping with mental health conditions.

I live out of bags and suitcases, with most of my belongings in storage. At £80 a month, this is another considerable strain on a shoestring budget solely funded from my meagre benefits.It's amazing how all these costs mount up!

A lack of feeling of belonging is strange. You feel out of control. You can't even control your own heating. You don't know when you will be finally settled. Even where you will end up is mostly out of control - but that's for another post.

But at least, thank goodness, I'm not on the streets...

Well hello...!

So, a new blog for a new start! But why a blog?

Well, I'm currently waiting to get the OK to move into a new flat. I've been homeless and living in temporary accommodation since 1st December 2016. This blog is about me charting that journey to a new life.

The Past - Homelessness
It's been challenging. No-one expects to be made homeless, but life has a way of throwing up the unexpected. I had just three weeks between learning I was to be made homeless, to pack up my life and live in limbo for six months - it's been a very surreal experience!

I won't go into why I was made homeless, but what I can say was because of circumstances beyond my control. I've been lucky though, I've not been made homeless due to debt or addiction. I've just been a victim of circumstance. I may have run out of savings and am living on a shoestring, but I'm lucky that I'm managing to scratch out a life without debt. There are far too many people who are not that fortunate, especially amidst our political climate of cuts, cuts, cuts!

I'm also fortunate that I have been placed in temporary B&B accommodation. Like 1 in 4 of use, I have mental health issues, which means my local council has a duty to support me during my homelessness. I have a superb mental health team backing me up too. This has meant I've coped with being homeless reasonably well and kept my health stable too - through sheer determination to stay well mind!

So all in all, whilst being homeless totally sucks, it could have been a lot worse.

The Present - A Waiting Game 
I'm currently going through the vetting process for the Housing Association whose flat I have been offered. I'm so excited! I got the builders to let me have a sneaky look at the flat, so I know that I'm waiting for a flat that is lovely, on the edge of countryside.

The Future - A New Start
So, a new home in a new town awaits. I'm already planning where my furniture will go and possible colour schemes. However, as I have a low income, it's going to be making a home on a serious budget. I'm quite looking forward to this though. Part of the reason for this blog is so I can document how I've made a lovely home for as little as possible. I'm a huge fan of second hand furniture, upcycling, freecycling and generally winging it! I love eBay, charity shops and recycling stuff someone else doesn't want anymore. I like saving furniture from landfill and saving the resources that going into making new 'stuff''.

So here's to a new beginning and the start of an awesome journey!